ISL 2022-23: Mumbai City withstands intense ATK Mohun Bagan attacks in battle of nerves
ISL 2022-23: Matchday 15 continued on Saturday, as one of the matches saw ATK Mohun Bagan hosting Mumbai City. However, the visitors withstood intense attacks from the hosts and won 1-0, thanks to Lallianzuala Chhangte.
FollowFormer champion Mumbai City (MCFC) was forced to show a different side to its game, resisting a constant threat on its goal by ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB), as it sealed a hard-fought 1-0 win at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday. It was the league leaders' maiden 1-0 win in a season where it had raised the bar for attacking football, and it helped it become the first team to confirm a playoff spot this season. MCFC picked up from where it had left off last week, becoming an instant menace at the start with its speedy and unpretentious play.
Goalkeeper Vishal Kaith faced a barrage of shots and singlehandedly kept the home team from falling behind the way Kerala Blasters (KBFC) had last week. Chhangte was through on goal twice after unsafe defending from ATKMB, and in almost both cases, was point-blank range from Kaith. In both instances, the goalkeeper came out on top.
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In Diaz's absence, Greg Stewart pulled the strings from the centre-forward area, and soon enough, both he and Bipin Singh were setting themselves on the game as well. The home side, even though it matched MCFC for possession and got nearly ten shots away in the opening half, didn't manage to test Phurba Lachenpa in the league leaders' goal.
MCFC's determined attack was bound to cost ATKMB, and ultimately it was a mistake by Kaith that led to the goal. Kaith had Chhangte's long-range shot from a central area covered but couldn't muster adequate power with his left arm to tip the ball wide, as the visitors went 1-0 up at half-time.
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ATKMB brought much more excitement to the second half and had the visitors scrambling early. Liston Colaco had the best after being slipped into the right channel and firing towards the far post to force Lachenpa to stretch one-handed to his right to keep it out. The home crowd was now firmly behind its team and was almost given something to cheer for in the 58th when Ashish Rai cut one across the box for Hugo Boumous, whose first-time shot was brilliantly tipped over by Lachenpa.
MCFC showed signs of nerves around this point and was forced to try and slow down their game. It was then ATKMB's turn to be a persistent threat. Between the 64th and 68th minute, the team shored up its fans as it took four corners and forced three close-range saves in a short span.
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Boumous was at the centre of most of these plays without managing to find the net through MCFC's backs-against-the-wall defending. By the time he fluffed a shot over the goal in the 78th, ATKMB had taken 26 efforts without success. Only one more was to come as MCFC held its nerve to take control and see off the game ultimately.
The win keeps MCFC in first place, and with defending champion Hyderabad FC (HFC) dropping a couple of points earlier in the week, it stretches its lead to four points. It faces NorthEast United (NEUFC) at home on Thursday. ATKMB stays in fourth place, only a point ahead of Odisha FC (OFC) in the fifth. It travels to play record former two-time champion Chennaiyin FC (CFC) next Saturday.
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